1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image displaying method of arranging a plurality of images on a display, a program for executing the image displaying method, and a display which is used for displaying the images.
2. Related Background Art
Various methods of arranging a plurality of images photographed by a digital camera in a desired layout have been proposed. For example, a method whereby a layout according to the number of images to be displayed is selected from prepared layouts and image data, character data, and figure data are inserted and arranged has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-184032. Another method whereby a sheet describing a pattern which designates a layout and a sheet to designate image data to be arranged are read, thereby designating the layout, has also been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-051576. However, according to those proposed methods, the layouts have been predetermined and the images cannot be freely arranged. Therefore, for example, in a layout including an overlap of the images, there is a case where important areas are overlapped depending on contents of the images to be displayed. There is, consequently, a case where those methods are not proper with the important areas hidden or the like. In the case where the user enjoys conversation according to the image contents while displaying such images onto a TV apparatus disposed in a living room or the like, there is needed a more interactive image layout in line with the image contents or the conversation that is taking place.
According to many user operating techniques regarding a figure layout for a personal computer, in the case of freely arranging image data, the operation to select the image and the operation to arrange the selected image are necessary. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a display for such operations. In the diagram, reference numeral 900 denotes a display of an application for freely arranging the image data and displaying; 901 an icon display section in which icons 902 of images serving as a plurality of candidates are displayed in order to select the image to be displayed; 903 a plurality of display images arranged on a display screen; and 904 a cursor indicator showing an operation target among the display images 903 or the icons 902.
When the user intends to select one of the images displayed in the icon display section 901 and arrange it in an arbitrary position on the display 900, first, in an icon selecting mode, he shifts a cursor to the icon display section 901 and moves the cursor onto the icon 902 of the image to be displayed among the icons 902. Subsequently, the deciding operation to select the icon 902 is executed, the operation mode is shifted to an icon moving mode, thereafter, the icon 902 with the cursor indicator 904 is moved to the arbitrary position, the layout deciding operation is executed, and a display state is decided. That is, the operation to move the cursor for two operations such as operation to select the image to be displayed and operation to decide the display position are, respectively, necessary.
Such an operating method can be relatively easily executed in the case of using an operating device such as a mouse pointer or executing the operation such as a pen-input which can directly designate an arbitrary position on a display screen and directly move the cursor as an operation target to the designated position.
In the case of a television receiver or an AV apparatus which is used in a living room at home, however, the apparatus is not in an environment with a space to operate the mouse pointer, pen input device, or the like in front of the display screen. Therefore, such operations are generally executed by operating a remote controller device which is held by a hand and operated with buttons.
If the user tries to execute the foregoing cursor moving operation by direction buttons provided on the remote controller, for example, in the case where the cursor indicator 904 shown in FIG. 12 is moved in the icon display section 901, it is moved by the distance corresponding to one icon by the single button operation. Therefore, many cursor moving operations are needed to select the icon 902 existing at a remote position in the icon display section 901. When the cursor is moved to an arbitrary position in the display 900, the button operation is necessary every moving step. Therefore, the operation to move the cursor to the remote position is troublesome and it is difficult to construct a preferable operating system in any of the above-mentioned cases.
As another known technique regarding the foregoing technique, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-051981.